


Misadventures in Gardening

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-14
Updated: 2006-04-14
Packaged: 2017-11-01 06:49:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/353350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clark needs a summer job, Lex comes to the rescue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Misadventures in Gardening

## Misadventures in Gardening

by Quin Rhodes

[]()

* * *

Misadventures in Gardening  
By: Quin Rhodes 

Author's Note: I wrote this a few years ago, found it on my computer, and decided to post it. I wrote if after season one, so ignore basically all canon. The story is set in the summer after Clark's graduation from high school. 

* * *

Clark stared sightlessly into his iced coffee. He needed to move, but couldn't get his body to obey. 

"What's wrong, Clark?" 

He jumped slightly, Lana's voice jolting him out of his stupor. "Oh, hi. Sorry, I didn't see you coming." 

"I realized that. So, what's wrong? The job search a bust?" 

Clark nodded his head solemnly. "Yeah. I just finished talking with Mr. Brewer at the grocery store. He already hired someone. I hate this town." 

Lana sat across from her friend. "No, you don't." 

"Okay, you're right, I don't. But it still sucks. I really need a job and there's nothing open. The movie theatre is full, the restaurants all want wait experience, even the fast food places are hiring the high school kids first. They want people who'll stay around after the summer. Why can't anyone want some good, old-fashioned summer labor around here?" Clark smiled weakly. 

Lana placed her hand on Clark's arm, offering a little comfort. "I'm sorry I can't use you here, either." She smiled slightly. "For some reason, the coffee business slacks off in the summer." 

Clark patted her hand, lifted it and rose from his seat. "Thanks. I should go. I still have to figure something out. I'll see you later." 

Clark walked away from the Talon, head hanging low. His scholarship to Metropolis University would pay for room and board, but he still had to pay for books and incidentals, and there was no way that his parents could afford it, no matter what they told him. He knew that they were planning to find a way to give him any money he asked for somehow, but he needed to pay his own way. 

The farm had to come first. So many local farmers had gone bankrupt in the past few years, and Clark knew that Kent Farms was close to folding as well. His parents had tried to keep the news of their financial status from Clark, but after he had overheard their debate on how much they wanted to get him something nice for graduation, but couldn't afford it, he had forced them to tell him everything about the family's monetary situation. He wasn't surprised, but he couldn't say that the news didn't scare him a little. He had immediately gone out to find a job, but had still not found any leads in over three weeks of looking. 

The weather had not been good for farming for the past five years. Droughts had been epidemic in the plains states, and Kansas had been hit hard. None of the crops the Kents had grown had reached their full potential in any of those years. Clark had known all of this, of course, but just like any self-absorbed teenager, he hadn't really paid that much attention to anything on the farm except his chores. 

This summer was not shaping up to be much better for the crops. The only ray of hope came from Lex's fertilizer plant. Lex had been developing a top secret totally organic mixture that would both fertilize and help to hydrate the local crops. Clark knew of this only because of his friendship with Lex. He had been subtlety trying to get his parents to acknowledge the good that Lex had brought to the community and he thought his parents were finally starting to come around. Clark was secretly hoping that Kent Farms could be one of the testing facilities for the new fertilizer when it was ready for that phase. 

He found himself walking with no real goal in mind. He slowly walked out of town, allowing his thoughts to wander. 

Chloe had been given yet another newspaper internship, this time in Central City, where she would be attending college. Her exposes in both the Torch and the local paper had gotten her noticed by some top newspapers. She had moved to Central City a week ago. 

Pete was earning extra money by helping out at his mom's office, working in the mailroom and running errands. They had slowly been drifting apart anyway. Pete was a childhood friend that Clark knew he would never forget, but their lives had changed. After Pete had made the football team their sophomore year, he had started to hang around with a different crowd of friends. He had never shunned Clark, but it was clear, to Clark at least, that their priorities differed greatly. Clark had hoped that they might be able to rebuild some of that old camaraderie over the summer, but it didn't seem like that would be happening, and Clark really didn't feel too broken up about it. 

He had gotten closer to Lana over the years, but she was busy with the Talon. She had decided to put off college to see if she could make the coffee shop a full time endeavor. She had been the first one he went to when trying to find a summer job, but his one try at being a waiter wasn't too stellar, and he understood when she couldn't find a place for him on the schedule. 

Clark felt like he was alone. He was used to it though, he had always felt separate from his friends, somehow solitary, even when he was among throngs of people. Being the only unemployed person in his small group of friends was frustrating, but not the end of the world. 

He finally looked up to see where his feet were taking him, and was not surprised to see he was walking slowly up the long driveway to Lex's castle. He and Lex had been good friends for over four years, ever since Lex had literally driven over Clark while he was on a bridge watching the water rush under him. 

Lex had become Clark's closest friend and confidante. If Clark admitted the truth to himself, their friendship had probably chased most of the other relationships out of his life. When he was with Lex, it seemed like they were the only two people in the world who mattered, and his other friends noticed that feeling in Clark. He always chose Lex over anyone else. Even the few girlfriends Clark had managed to have couldn't compete. If Lex needed him, he would drop anything or anyone to come to his aid. Clark would rather spend his free time with Lex than do anything else. 

At one point about two years ago, he had realized this and it had scared him. He was afraid of needing that bond too much, but he had decided that their friendship would stand the test of time, and it was stronger than any fleeting school-boy crush. When he met the woman of his dreams, then his priorities would undoubtedly change and he would want to spend all his time with that woman, but until that time, he had stopped worrying about it. 

The gate was open, so he passed through it, heading to the front door. He wasn't sure Lex would be home, but since it was a Saturday afternoon, if he was still in town, it was likely he would be working in his home office on the second floor. Clark never understood why Lex had to work seven days a week, but when he had asked and Lex tried to explain, Clark found himself drifting off just like he did in Mr. Gentz's sixth period history class. 

Maybe he would be able to convince Lex to shoot a game of pool or just sit around and talk for a while. Lex had been busy with the plant, and with expanding Lex Corp's holdings in Metropolis, so Clark hadn't been able to see much of him since the graduation party about three weeks earlier. 

Someone had seen him come up the drive, and the door opened as he approached it. Enrique, Lex's butler, stood behind the door. "Good afternoon, Mr. Kent. Master Lex is in his upstairs office. Would you like me to announce you?" 

Clark smiled. After four years of trying, Enrique still wouldn't call him Clark, and was still as formal with him as the first day he had come into the castle, nervously returning the truck Lex had bought for him. "No, thanks, Enrique. I'll just go up and disturb him myself." 

Enrique closed the door behind Clark. "Very well. Please let me know if you require anything." 

The servant was gone before Clark could thank him. Lex said that was one of the signs of a good butler-along with being able to sneak into a room without being noticed and leave whatever was necessary without being asked. Clark thought it was a little creepy. 

Clark headed up the stairs to the office. Lex had a fully functional business office directly across the hall from his bedroom and down a few doors from the entertainment room. Most visitors were never allowed onto the second floor of the castle. It was where Lex let his own personality show, so he only allowed admittance to those he trusted. The second floor of the castle was really where Lex felt most comfortable, and therefore, it was where Clark liked to be best as well. 

The pool room on the downstairs level was nice, but even that had not been completely made over to suit Lex. The second floor was truly Lex's domain. 

Clark knocked a couple of times, but didn't bother to wait for a response before opening the door. He knew he was always welcome-just one more reason that Clark felt so at home in the drafty castle. 

Lex was sitting behind his desk, listening to someone speaking on the other end of the phone. His irritated expression quickly changed to a smile when he saw that it was Clark who had interrupted his afternoon. He waved to the seat in front of his desk and held up one finger to let Clark know that his call wouldn't last much longer. 

Clark didn't immediately sit, but rather walked to the window that overlooked the gardens below. The grounds crew was busy trimming and weeding the garden, even though Clark was fairly sure that Lex didn't even know that small garden existed. The main centerpiece of the gardens were behind the back of the castle, complete with statues and large flowering trees, but Clark had always preferred the smaller gardens scattered around the grounds, with their simple flowers and small shrubs. 

He heard Lex complete his call, then walk over to the window next to Clark. "Are you okay, Clark?" 

Clark didn't look at his friend, he merely continued to watch the gardeners at work. "Yeah, I'm fine-just a little down I guess. How long will it be before that fertilizer will be ready to be tested?" 

"I was just talking with the head of that project. It looks like there's a small snag, but nothing major. We'll probably be looking for test farms as early as this fall. Why? Did something happen?" 

Clark sighed tiredly. "No, not really. Things just haven't been good around here lately. I've been trying to find a job, but it's really hard to find summer work in a small town like this. I really need to make some money before I start school." 

Clark heard Lex move toward his desk, but didn't bother to turn around. He probably wanted to grab his drink or something. 

"How much do you need?" 

Clark spun around on his heel, finding Lex bent over the desk, pen in hand, already writing Clark's name on a check. 

"What in the Hell are you doing?" Clark let his fury show. He couldn't believe Lex could misunderstand him so badly after all these years. 

Lex looked up, confusion clear in his eyes. 

"I didn't come over here to beg for money. I thought you knew me better than that. I thought we had gotten past that years ago. I'm not your friend because of your money, Lex. I may not think exactly like my dad, but I sure am not going to take hand-outs either." He paused, sadly shaking his head. He walked swiftly and resignedly to the door, ignoring Lex's calls from behind him. 

Clark jogged away from Lex's castle, only allowing himself to run full speed when he was sure he was at least a mile away from the property. He ran past the farm, all the way to a lake that he found on the outskirts of Metropolis. 

He sat down hard on the beach, not caring about the sand clinging to his clothing. He restlessly watched the waves roll in and stared at the boats out on the lake without truly seeing them. 

He knew he had overreacted. Lex was just trying to help in the way he felt most comfortable. Lex had money, Lex spent money, that's just the way it was. 

But their friendship had never been about money. He had gone over to Lex's simply to bitch and moan about the state of the job market in small town America. Clark smiled slightly-he had even started to think like Lex. He had never asked Lex for money, and he never would. It physically hurt him to realize that Lex still thought of money first. 

Clark watched the sun gradually move down the horizon. It looked like it would be a spectacular sunset. A beautiful end to a crappy day. When the last bit of color faded from the sky, Clark got up, brushed the sand from his jeans, and started jogging back to the farm. His parents would be wondering what happened to him. 

__

Clark was out in the barn, slowly mucking out the stables when he heard Lex's car approach. He wasn't surprised that his best friend had come over to make things right after their fight. Clark had been planning on heading to Lex's once his chores were done anyway. He hadn't slept much due to his nagging conscience, and needed to apologize to the older man. Neither of them could allow a fight between them to go more than a day or so without being worked out. That fact was one of the few constants left in Clark's ever-changing life. 

He leaned the pitchfork against the wall of the barn and walked out to meet Lex. The older man looked as if he hadn't slept much last night either, and Clark felt a twinge of guilt for not calling to apologize when he had returned from the lake the night before. 

"I'm sorry." They both laughed when they realized they had said the words simultaneously. Lex nodded to Clark, signaling that the younger man should continue. 

"Lex, I'm really sorry about overreacting yesterday. I know you were trying to help. I've just been having such a hard time finding a job. It's impossible to find anything around here. I swear, 20 kids show up for every box-boy position at the grocery store. That's where I was yesterday before I came up to the castle. I had just finished turning in an application when I heard that Bill Needles had already been hired. I guess the manager owed Bill's dad a favor." Clark shook his head, getting all worked up over the unfairness of small town life all over again. "I hate this. I need to make some money for college, but there aren't any jobs. I still need to do all the chores around the farm, which means I have to stick close to home. Of course that wouldn't really be an issue anyway since the dorms don't open for another two months." 

Lex smiled. "It's not a problem. I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to seem uninterested in your situation. I know I reach for the checkbook quickly, probably way too quickly, way too often. I don't mean any disrespect, I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to make your own way in the world, and help out your parents, and I do respect that. I just wasn't thinking." 

Clark waved his hand toward the barn. "Do you want to come up for a while?" 

"Sure. I'd like that. We haven't had a chance to talk lately." Lex followed Clark up the stairs to his haven, where they both sat down on the couch. 

They stared at each other for a long moment, then laughed, dispelling the odd silence. Lex spoke up first. "I have to admit I was worried last night. I hate it when we fight, you know that, right?" 

"Yeah, I know that. I hate it too. I'm going to miss you when I leave for Metropolis. It's not going to be the same." 

"I'll be coming up to Metropolis quite a bit, and you'll be coming home. It's not like we'll stop being friends, Clark." 

"I know. I guess I'm a little worried about the world moving on. I'm excited about going to school, but Smallville has been everything I've known. Chloe and Pete are already gone. I can deal with that, but I don't know what I'll do if I have to face college without being able to talk with you about stuff." 

Lex lowered his head. "That won't be a problem, I promise. I'll still be running the plant, but I've been training Gabe to replace me. Lex Corp has been growing quickly, and I'm going to need to spend more and more time managing those interests-which means more time spent in Metropolis, among other places." 

Clark smiled. "That's great. I'm glad everything's going so well. I know you've been busy lately. You were trying to acquire some media outlet, right?" 

Lex lifted his head and smiled back, a full smile that he rarely showed to anyone except Clark. "I'm surprised you remembered. Yes. I was able to obtain a radio conglomerate that has a potential to branch into print and television. I'd like to build it into a news network to rival CNN. It's one of the ventures that will likely take me into Metropolis a lot over the next few years." 

Clark patted his friend on the back. "Congratulations! Maybe when I finish with school, I can come work for your network." 

Lex nodded, smiling brightly. "Lex Corp will always have a place for you, Clark. Which reminds me of the other reason I came over here so early. One of the yard crew at the castle had a family emergency in Mexico and had to leave unexpectedly a couple of days ago. My chief gardener sent in a memo requesting authority to hire a replacement, but I hadn't gotten around to answering his request yet. I was wondering if you'd like to go speak with him about the job." 

Clark's wariness showed in his voice. "How is this different than you signing a check, Lex? You know I value you and your friendship, not your money." 

"I know that. Don't be so stubborn, Kent. How this is different than handing over wad of bills? Easy. You'll have to work hard for the ten dollars an hour this job pays. You'll also have to get hired by Oscar, the gardener. I don't hire his crew for him. I know you can do the work. You do harder chores around the farm every day. So I ask you, how is this different than any other friend telling a friend about an opening? I'm just letting you know, Clark. You'll have to earn the job and do the work, just like any other of Oscar's crew." 

"Sorry, Lex." Clark looked at the sincerity in his friend's eyes. "I'd love to work for your yard crew. Ten bucks an hour is great! The grocery store was only paying five." 

Lex smiled and stood up. "Good. Are you finished with your work here? I know Oscar wanted someone to start right away. We can go meet him now if you'd like." 

"Yeah, I got enough done this morning. I can finish the rest later tonight. Just let me tell my Mom I'm going out." 

They walked out of the barn, Lex heading for the car, while Clark ran in to tell his mother where he was going. 

Lex drove up the driveway to the castle, but took a small turnoff that Clark had never really noticed before, heading around to the side of the property. "Oscar should be out here somewhere. His quarters are around this side of the house." 

Clark nodded, suddenly nervous. Lex stopped the car in front of a small but well kept building that looked similar to the paintings of country cottages Clark's mom really liked. They both got out, approaching the cottage. 

"Oscar?" Lex called to his gardener. 

An older man, probably in his mid-sixties appeared from around the side of the cottage. "Mr. Lex, sir. What can I do for you?" He reached his hand out to shake the hand of his employer. 

"Good morning, Oscar. This is Clark Kent, a friend of mine. He's looking for summer employment. I thought he might be a good replacement for Hector." 

Oscar made a show of looking Clark up and down while Lex continued. "Clark, this is Oscar Taylor, the reason the grounds around here always look so great." 

Clark reached out to shake the older man's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Taylor." 

Clark felt a little tension ease when Mr. Taylor smiled and shook his hand. "So, Clark, why should I hire you?" 

Clark fought hard not to look to Lex for guidance. He knew he had a big advantage, being introduced by Lex, and that he would really have to screw up to lose the job, but he was still nervous. He had never really had to interview for a job before. His only job other than working for his parents had been filling in at the Talon for Lana, and she had begged him to help out that time. 

"I haven't ever worked for a landscaper or gardener before, but I work hard, I'm strong, and I follow directions really well. I've been helping out my parents at our farm since I was old enough to tag along with my father. I don't know what kind of equipment you use, but I can drive and repair tractors or any sort of lawn mower. I'm really eager to learn and I need the job to earn money for college. I have a scholarship, but it won't pay for books or any incidental living expenses. I don't want my parents to have to choose between my education and the farm." 

Clark knew he had been rambling, but he really needed this job, and he wanted Mr. Taylor to know how much he would appreciate being hired. He had been Lex's friend long enough to know that sometimes people expected him to be a spoiled brat, expecting to have everything handed to him on a platter just because he was Lex's friend. Guilt by association sucked sometimes, but it also made him realize to a small extent some of the problems Lex had when meeting people for the first time. It was important to him that Mr. Taylor know he wasn't expecting any special treatment. 

Mr. Taylor was silent for a moment, making Clark a bit nervous, but then he smiled broadly. "I think you'll work out just fine, Clark. Would you be able to start tomorrow morning, seven o'clock sharp? You should meet me right here." 

Clark's smile knew no bounds. "That would be great! Thank you so much, Mr. Taylor." He turned to Lex. "Thanks, Lex. I won't let either of you down. I can't wait to tell my parents!" 

The older men both chuckled at Clark's enthusiasm. Lex turned to Mr. Taylor, extending his hand. "Thanks for your time, Oscar. Is everything else going all right? I know I haven't been easy to catch. The grounds look great, is there anything you need?" 

"No, Sir. Everything is going well. We'll be working on a garden on the west side of the property, near the house for the next few weeks. Please let us know if you are disturbed by our work. We'll be getting close to the house, so I hope we don't create any problems for you or the house staff." 

"I'm sure everything will be fine." He turned to Clark. "Come on, I'll take you back so you can tell your parents the good news." 

Clark waved to the gardener as he followed Lex to the car. "Bye, Mr. Taylor. Thanks again, see you tomorrow!" 

__

Clark was up early the next day, eager to start his new job. He loved working outdoors. He knew it would be hard work, but with his strength and stamina, it would be no problem, and working outside in the sun would be a lot better than stocking grocery shelves any day of the week. 

He was also thrilled to be working for Lex, even if it was indirectly. He knew Lex wasn't likely to be around the castle much, but just being on the property let Clark feel closer to his best friend. He really didn't know how he was going to deal with the changes that college would bring without being able to run to the castle with his problems as he had been doing for the past four years. 

He was able to finish his chores before breakfast, and still spend some time eating with his parents before running to Mr. Taylor's cottage. He jogged the last mile or so, not wanting to get caught running at full speed. He knocked on the door at about two minutes prior to seven. 

Mr. Taylor immediately opened the door. "It's good to see you, Clark. Are you ready to work?" 

"Yes, Sir." Clark replied enthusiastically, looking forward to the challenge ahead. 

Mr. Taylor led Clark up to the castle, turning before making it all the way to the front door. "The gardening shed is on the west side of the house, which will be convenient since you'll be helping Shane work on the west side garden. It's a pretty large project. I don't think anyone has ever really cleaned out that side of the estate. It's taken me over a year to get the main estate in shape. We're all looking forward to working on the smaller spaces, they're where personality can really shine through." 

They approached a rather large outbuilding. Clark assumed that was the gardening shed, even though it looked more like a garage to him. 

Mr. Taylor walked in the side door, motioning Clark to follow. Four men were already in the shed, talking quietly. Their conversation ended when they saw Clark approach. 

"Shane, John, Noah, and Greg." Mr. Taylor motioned to each man in turn. "This is Clark. He's going to work with us for the summer while Hector is in Mexico." 

All of the men were clearly older than Clark. The youngest looked like he was at least thirty years old. Suddenly, Clark wasn't so sure this would work out. Clark waved at the men and smiled, but he could feel the apprehension in the room. He wondered if it was simply having to train and deal with a new guy, or if they knew he was a friend of Lex's and didn't want him telling tales to the boss. He realized that he'd have an uphill battle to win over the group. 

One of the older men approached first, reaching his hand to Clark. "Clark. I'm Shane. You'll be with me today. I hope you're ready to work. We'll be cleaning out the area, basically hauling rocks and weeding." 

Clark grinned, ready to take whatever Shane was going to dish out. It could be fun to see Shane's face when Clark moved huge rocks without breaking a sweat. "Sure. Let's go." 

"Nothing but manual tools today." Shane motioned to the wall of the shed, where Clark saw various manual tools lined up. "Grab a shovel, a hoe, and a rake. Be sure to grab a bottle of water from that table over there too. Oscar doesn't like his crew getting heat stroke-takes them out of the rotation for too long." Shane grabbed the same instruments for himself and headed out the door, not waiting for Clark to catch up. 

Clark quickly grabbed the tools in question and followed Shane up to the side of the castle. He hadn't been on this side of the estate before. He doubted Lex knew this garden was out here either. Lex didn't usually walk around the grounds. He preferred to spend what little free time he had anywhere other than the castle-unless Clark was there to distract him from the work that never ended. They had spent countless hours in the game room watching movies or talking into the wee hours of the night. Those were some of Clark's most treasured memories. 

Clark glanced up at the castle. He wondered which rooms were overlooking this area. He darted a look at Shane. The older man wasn't paying any attention to him, surveying the area, probably planning the best attack for whatever needed to be done in the day ahead. 

Clark quickly scanned the castle with his x-ray vision. In the four years since the ability had developed, he had gotten quite adept at swapping from his regular vision to x-ray and back. He could easily pick out features in each room on this side of the castle. 

He was surprised when he saw a skeleton clearly standing at a window on the top floor, surveying the landscape. He focused closer, and noticed that it was Lex, looking out the window from his bedroom. 

What was Lex doing at home? And why hadn't he even left the bedroom yet? Lex liked arriving at the plant before the first shift, rarely leaving for the night until after the second shift was well into their rotation. He always said that workers were more productive if they knew that the boss put in longer hours than they did. 

Clark had a very limited knowledge of Lex's bedroom, although he was beginning to finally admit to himself how badly he wanted that to change. He had always thought himself a normal teenage boy when it came to his hormones and desire to bed a beautiful girl. It was his one cling to normalcy. He had been close a few times with a couple different girls, but something had always stopped him, and it had never been the girls. 

He was a romantic, he could admit that to himself, if no one else. The time had never been exactly right. He hadn't been able to articulate the reason at the time, which is what broke up both of his "serious" relationships, but now he knew what the problem had been. He had always been with the wrong person. 

Losing your virginity was a major life event, and Clark had always known he would share that moment with the most important person in his left at that time. That had never been his girlfriend of the moment. It had been Lex-always Lex. He finally had enough maturity and had done enough soul-searching that he knew Lex would be his first. The problem would be how to convince Lex. 

Oh, he knew Lex was attracted to him. It had taken years of longing glances and enigmatic smiles, but the message had finally come through. Lex had even told Clark about his bisexuality, but Clark had still not figured out how to act on the attraction, and he was running out of time. He didn't want Lex to think his feelings were simply emerging due to all the changes in his life, an attempt to hang on to the familiar. His feelings for Lex ran much deeper. He had told Lex he was afraid of their upcoming separation, but he had never confessed the real reason for his apprehension. 

He shook off the contemplation. Lex probably just slept late and was on his way out now. He fought an overwhelming urge to wave, but controlled it just in time. He really didn't want to explain how he knew Lex had been watching when no normal person could have seen him clearly. 

"Earth to Clark. Are you in there?" Clark jumped slightly when he heard his name. He had actually forgotten about Shane. 

He shrugged, as he blushed lightly. "Sorry. I guess I'm not completely awake yet." 

Shane shook his head. "Come on, Spaceboy, we've got a lot of work to do. Start over here and clear out all the weeds and rocks. We need all of the vines pulled down off the stone of the castle walls. Be careful of the thorns, they can get you pretty bloody. Some of the vines have deep roots with bulbs on the end, so they'll be hard to pull. Be sure to get the roots of everything or they'll keep coming back. Did you bring any gloves?" 

"No. I didn't think about it." 

"No problem." Shane threw him a pair from his back pocket. You can use my extra ones. You should probably bring some tomorrow, though. We tend to go through even the best gloves pretty quickly around here." 

Clark caught the gloves and nodded his thanks, deciding he'd make a better impression on the man by diving headlong into the project. 

They had been working steadily for three hours, only breaking their stride to take quick gulps of water from the bottles they had brought with them before either man decided to speak. 

"Hey, Clark. Let's take a break. There's a water cooler in the shed. Let's go find some shade." 

"Sounds good." Clark put down the hoe he had been using to level out the ground he had cleared of debris earlier in the morning. The men walked to the shed in silence. 

Shane handed Clark a cup of water, looking the younger man up and down like he was some sort of oddity in a carnival sideshow. "I've been wanting to ask-we all heard that you were hired special, introduced by the boss. How do you know Mr. Luthor?" 

Clark started to deny that he knew Mr. Luthor, he had only met Lionel once or twice in passing, but then he realized that Mr. Luthor was Lex, not Lionel. He smiled at his own misunderstanding. "We met when he first moved into town. We've been friends ever since. I hope that won't be a problem." 

Shane nodded. "I have to say we weren't happy when Oscar told us he'd hired a friend of Mr. Lex's. We didn't really know what to expect. But you impressed me with your work so far this morning. Keep it up, and you'll fit in fine." 

The older man patted Clark on the shoulder as he tossed his cup into the trash can next to the cooler. "Let's go." 

__

Lex gazed down at Clark working in the space below him. Five weeks had passed since Clark had been hired onto the yard crew, and Oscar had made a point of thanking his boss for suggesting the teen. Apparently Clark's work ethic had rubbed off on the rest of the crew and they were well ahead of the schedule for the garden renovations. 

At first, he had tried to go to the plant's office, to stick with his normal schedule, but he had found himself going into the plant late, and finding excuses to come back early just to see the view from this room. He had been beginning to think hiring Clark was a bad idea until he just gave into the addiction and had his desk moved. He now was actually getting work done and partaking in his new favorite pastime, Clark watching. 

The house staff hadn't said anything, but he knew they had noticed his preoccupation and definitely his relocation. Lex hadn't thought of a good excuse to move his desk from the actual office space across the hall to his bedroom, so he just ordered it done and ignored the curious looks from his staff. 

Lex had known his feelings towards Clark were more than simple friendship for years, but he hadn't acted on them. He wouldn't act on them. Clark was not gay, as evidenced by the girlfriends he had gone through in high school. Of course Clark hadn't been wild by any means, but he had gone out with enough girls for Lex to know where the teen's sexual preference lay. 

Lex had told Clark he was bisexual after a few too many drinks one night two years ago. As soon as the words had left his mouth, he regretted them, but it had turned out much better than he could've ever expected. He had been afraid of the younger man's reaction, but Clark had smiled and said he was glad Lex had told him. 

The subject had never come up again, but their friendship had grown stronger from that moment. Lex knew Clark still had secrets, and Clark knew that Lex knew. Somehow they had made an unspoken agreement. Lex would know Clark's secrets someday, and until that day came, he wouldn't push too hard. 

Lex smiled, looking at Clark digging a hole below him. Sometimes he pushed a little, but that couldn't be helped. Clark was his obsession, his addiction, and he wanted to know everything about the younger man. For his part, Clark didn't lie any more, he simply told Lex that he couldn't answer whatever question was posed, and they moved on. 

Suddenly, Lex saw Clark fall to the ground. Lex pressed up against the glass, hoping that the teen had simply fallen into the hole he had been digging and would stand right back up, laughing it off. When the man stayed down for more than thirty seconds and showed no signs of recovery, Lex pushed off the glass and ran down the stairs. 

__

The past few weeks had been a blur for Clark. He spent six days a week working in Lex's yard, but he rarely saw the man himself. Every once in a while, he could see his friend looking down from the upstairs window, but he could never acknowledge the presence. He had been seeing Lex more and more lately, but hadn't been able to ask him why he was spending so much time at home. The next time they had some time to hang out, Clark was planning to ask if something was going on. 

On this day, like most others lately, he was working alone almost directly below Lex's bedroom window. This was his pet project. He hadn't seen Lex that morning, but the house staff had told Oscar that Lex would be working at home, so the crew were under strict orders to keep the noise as low as possible. 

Clark was quietly digging a hole, getting ready to place the centerpiece of the garden he had been crafting. He had found a beautiful cascading waterfall fountain, crafted out of indigenous rock lying behind some debris in the back of the gardening shed two weeks ago. Oscar told him that it was broken, and no one had gotten around to looking at it yet. Clark believed it would be a great addition to the garden space that he and Shane had cleared, so he asked Oscar to allow him to try and fix it, and arrange the garden himself. Oscar had been happy to release Shane to work on other things while giving Clark the assignment to finish the project on his own. 

He was almost finished and couldn't wait to show Lex. He and Shane had planted privacy shrubs around the area, then Clark had added some ground cover and small flowers. He thought this would be a great place for Lex to come and relax after having a stressful day at work-especially once he placed the fountain at the center. 

Clark looked down into the hole he had just dug. He had never seen green ants before-weird. He started feeling just a bit queasy when he felt a sharp pain moving up his leg. 

He screamed, the pain getting worse with every passing second. 

He crumpled to the ground, unable to control his muscles as they twitched and writhed. 

He saw a green light when he closed his eyes, then quickly fell into darkness. 

__

Lex threw open the front door, and sprinted across the yard, getting to Clark his only concern. 

Clark was still on the ground, groaning, only semi-conscious, when Lex arrived. 

Lex cradled Clark's head in his lap. "What's wrong? What happened?" 

Clark moaned. "Lex. Help. Hurts." 

"What hurts? What should I do?" Lex was close to a panic attack. He knew how to intimidate hard core businessmen with a look, but unfortunately, he had very little experience with emergency situations. He was normally the one who needed the medical attention. 

Clark was trying to pull away from Lex's lap. 

Lex pushed down on Clark's chest, refusing to allow the boy to move. "No. Stay here. You shouldn't move until we figure out what's wrong." 

"My leg...bites...move me." 

Lex pulled on Clark's shoulders, moving the man away from where he had fallen. Clark seemed to be able to move a bit better after they had gone a few feet, but he still wasn't able to speak well. 

"Lean on me. We need to get you into the house so I can call for help. You need to get to the hospital." 

Clark shook his head vehemently, showing a strength Lex wouldn't have believed he possessed. "No. No hospital. Promise." Clark even dug in his heels, refusing to allow Lex to help him get farther towards the house before he got his promise. 

"Okay, whatever, I promise. Just get into the house." Lex had no real intention of allowing Clark to suffer, but he had no idea of how else to get his friend moving again. 

They limped into the drawing room, Lex pulling Clark to the nearest couch. "Lie down." 

Clark complied quickly, if not gracefully. Lex saw that he was not convulsing as much now, and took that as a very good sign. He had no idea what had happened, but he intended to find out immediately. 

"What the hell happened out there? One minute you were staring off into space, and the next, you were on the ground." Lex moved quickly to remove his friend's shoes. 

Clark smiled weakly, more color returning to his face slowly. "You saw me?" 

Lex realized his mistake too late, but it no longer mattered. His only concern was Clark's health. "Yes, Clark. I was watching you. Now what happened?" 

"I don't know, exactly. I saw some really weird green ants, then there was a sudden pain in my left leg. It felt like something bit me." 

"Are you allergic to anything?" Lex was already lifting Clark's pant leg to see if anything was visible. "Damn, Clark. Help me get these pants off." 

He moved to unbuckle Clark's belt as Clark lifted his butt off the sofa so Lex could lower his jeans. 

Lex was amazed at the damage to Clark's legs. He had no idea how Clark had been able to walk to the house, even with his help. There were countless bites running up and down the length of both legs. The area from just above his knees, all the way down to his feet was swollen and red. 

"You really have to go to the hospital, Clark. Your legs are badly swollen. I've never seen anything like it." 

Clark interrupted, grabbing Lex's arm in a surprisingly strong grip as the older man moved to get up. "No! Please, Lex, I'm fine. I'm sure it's only an allergic reaction to bug bites or something. I'll be fine. I heal really fast. They don't even hurt much anymore." 

Lex looked skeptically at Clark, but the younger man's expression was begging him to let the argument go. Against his better judgment, he decided to wait. "Okay, but if it doesn't get better in the next two hours, you're going directly to the hospital, no complaints." 

Clark smiled weakly. "Deal." Clark slumped back, and Lex was surprised that he hadn't noticed that Clark had been leaning forward into Lex's arms. 

"I'll be right back. I need to get some ice for your legs and I'm going to call your parents." 

"No." He paused at Lex's look of incredulity. "Well, okay, call them, but please, don't tell them I'm hurt. I'll be fine. I don't want to worry them. Just tell them I'm spending the night. Tell them I have to work late and then get up early. They'll understand. They know I'm working on a special project." 

Lex slowly got up from the couch, reluctant to leave his friend, even for a few moments. Clark looked like he was getting better. He was certainly more coherent, but Lex didn't like the idea of lying to Clark's parents. He was constantly on thin ice with the Kents, and he didn't want to complicate anything further. However, he also felt an unusual need to protect and care for Clark while he was sick. He really didn't want to send the younger man home to his parents. 

"What special project?" Lex's curiosity won over his need to do the right thing and make that phone call. 

Clark blushed slightly and Lex wasn't surprised how that slight coloration affected his libido. He knew he wanted Clark, he just wasn't sure how the younger man felt about him. He had been working up his nerve to make his move this summer, before Clark moved away for college, but he still hadn't gotten the right sign. Maybe this little confession could be the key. 

"Um. It was supposed to be a surprise. I was going to show you when I had everything all finished. I was supposed to finish this afternoon. I was just putting the finishing touches on it when I was bitten. Mr. Taylor wasn't sure what to do with that garden below your bedroom window, so I convinced him to let me work on it." 

Lex was confused. "How do you know which window is my bedroom?" 

Clark blushed even deeper. "I saw you up there looking out a few times early in the morning. I guessed." 

Lex knew the statement wasn't pure fact, but at that moment, he didn't care. The younger man's reactions were making him bolder. "Did you like watching me watch you, Clark?" He sat back down on the couch, gently pushing Clark farther against the back of the couch. 

Clark closed his eyes and whispered, "Yes." 

Lex leaned down close, breathing in Clark's airspace. He exhaled softly against the younger man's lips, "Do you want this as much as I do?" 

Lex didn't give Clark time to answer, before claiming his mouth in a fierce kiss. 

Lex felt himself lose all control as Clark reached both of his hands up and grabbed Lex's head, pulling him deeper into the kiss. 

Only a pained groan from the younger man penetrated the haze of his brain. Lex jumped off the couch in horror. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" 

Clark smiled, "No. My legs are getting better. I can feel them starting to itch now." 

Lex relaxed slightly, looking down at Clark's legs. "I think you're right. I also think I should call your parents." 

"Please Lex, let me stay here. I'll be good. I'll even sleep on the couch, if you want me to." Clark's face contorted into something that looked suspiciously like Lex's best smirk. 

Lex wasn't sure how to react to that, but he knew he liked the idea of having Clark to himself for the whole night. "Alright. I'll see if your parents agree to let you stay." 

Lex quickly left the room, heading for the nearest phone. 

__

Clark was resting when Lex returned. His legs really did look a lot better, making Lex believe even more strongly that there was more to Clark than a simple mutation. Lex had been searching for the answer to the riddle that was Clark Kent for years. 

When he had first met the high school boy, the fascination had been immediate and burning. Now, after being said boy's friend for four years, the fascination was just as burning, but it had mutated. He no longer wanted to know the secret of Clark at all costs. He simply wished that Clark would someday trust him enough and value him enough to share his secrets. 

Lex knew that today was going to be that day. As he looked down at Clark's legs, he could actually see the swelling go down and the redness pale. Clark had to know that he would heal this fast, that's why the man refused to go to the hospital. 

Now Lex was glad he had lied to the teen's parents. Surely if they knew he was sick, they would have rushed over and insisted upon taking him home. Clark knew that, and had wanted Lex to see him heal. 

Lex sat down on the couch, rubbing his hand across Clark's forehead. The other man leaned into his touch. "What did Mom say?" 

Lex continued his caress. "She asked if you were being a bother, and I assured her you were not. She then said that she was wondering when you would call. She noticed that you had done all of your chores for tomorrow this morning. Were you planning this, Clark?" 

Clark opened his eyes and Lex could see the apprehension there. "Obviously I didn't plan on getting bitten by meteor-mutant ants." Lex's hand stilled and he was ready to speak, but Clark forestalled him by raising a hand. "I'll explain everything, I promise. Just let me finish one confession at a time." 

Lex nodded and resumed the stroking of Clark's forehead. 

Clark sighed, leaning further into the caress. "I told you I was going to finish the project today. I was really looking forward to showing it to you. I still am. I think you're really going to love it. I was planning on seducing you in the garden, and convincing you to let me spend the night with you." Clark shyly closed his eyes and lowered his head. 

Lex stopped the stroking and moved his hand down, lifting Clark's chin, forcing the other man to look at him. Unfortunately, Clark was stubbornly keeping his eyes closed. "Clark, look at me." 

Lex waited until the eyes opened and was amazed to find the depth of emotion he saw there. He was speechless, so Clark filled the silence. 

"Please don't be mad. I know just because you're bisexual, that doesn't mean that you'll care for me like I care for you, but I had to take a chance. I realize now you don't feel that way, but nothing has to change. We can still be best friends, right?" 

Lex quickly recovered. "Clark, no. You have the wrong idea. I do care for you. I have for a very long time now. Have you forgotten that kiss already?" 

Clark smiled in answer to Lex's smirk. "No, I'm not likely to forget that anytime soon." 

"Good. Just so you know how I feel, I do care for you, probably more than I should. You've been there for me like no one else, and you are so incredibly gorgeous you take my breath away. I was trying to get up the courage to find out how you felt about me before you went away to college, but I kept retreating. I'm not happy that you got sick, but I am happy that we've finally been honest with each other." 

Clark's face fell. "About that." 

Lex knew exactly what he was referring to. He looked down at Clark's legs which had now recovered almost completely. The areas that had been so swollen and burning now only showed a few slight bulges similar to spider or mosquito bites. He looked at his watch. "Yeah, I've been wondering about that. So, tell me, how can you be so desperately sick and recover in less than 30 minutes?" 

"I've wanted to tell you, I swear. I wanted to be sure of our future before I did. I know I want a future with you, Lex. I'll tell you everything, no matter what you say, but please tell me you want us to be together too." 

Lex placed his hand on the leg closest to him, rubbing it in what he hoped were reassuring circles. "Yes, Clark I want that too. I've wanted that for a very long time." 

Clark smiled, clearly energized by Lex's declaration. "I know you've suspected things about me since the first time we met. I can finally tell you. You did hit me with your car that day." 

Lex gasped, all his theories and thoughts confirmed. "How did you survive? Wait, you didn't know that you were invulnerable at the time, did you? That's why you passed out after you saved me." 

Clark shook his head disparagingly. "Not one of my greatest moves. Yeah. I didn't know anything concrete at that point. I knew I had always been faster and stronger than the other guys at school. I never seemed to get the scraped knees or bruises that the other guys got when they fell off their skateboards, but I didn't know anything. That day was the reason my dad finally told me the truth." 

Clark paused, so Lex urged him on. "What truth?" 

"I'm not human." 

Lex's jaw dropped, but he quickly recovered. This explanation actually made more sense that any of the ones he had come up with in his years of considering the matter. "Do you know where you come from?" 

Clark looked up hopefully. "You're not shocked and disgusted? I was afraid that you'd never want to see me or talk to me again. That was the main reason I was so scared to tell you earlier." 

"No, I'm not disgusted or scared, more intrigued than anything else. What happened?" 

"My parents told me that I came down in the meteor shower. Their truck was forced off the road by a meteorite and it was overturned. They told me I wandered up, naked, and got them out of the truck. They picked me up and found my ship, taking it back to the storm cellar, where it's been ever since." 

"You've got a spaceship in your storm cellar?" Lex's scientific mind was thrilled with the possibilities. 

Clark smiled at Lex's enthusiasm. "Yup. Wanna see my spaceship, Lex?" 

Lex laughed at Clark's tone, then leaned down and kissed him quickly. "Always." 

Lex pulled away after another short kiss. "Your parents didn't tell you the full story until you were hit by a car? What were they thinking?" 

"I wasn't too happy with that either, at the time, but I understand it better now. You can't imagine how scary it is to tell someone you're an alien. You're the only one I've ever told, and the only one I ever intend to tell. I can just imagine how hard it was for my dad to tell me I was not only completely different from the other kids, which I already knew, but not even the same species. I was mad for a while, but I got over it. I'm just glad it was them who found me." 

Lex brushed some stray locks of hair from Clark's forehead. "Me too." 

Clark moved his legs, clearly intending to get up. Lex grabbed the legs before they hit the floor. "What do you think you're doing?" 

"I just told you, Lex. I'm invulnerable-an alien, remember? I'm going back to work before Mr. Taylor sends out a search party." 

Lex got up, allowing Clark to get his pants. "There's no way I'm letting you out in that garden until I'm sure all those ants are gone. By the way, if you're so invulnerable, what's the deal with getting so sick?" 

Clark pulled up his pants and fastened them. "I'm allergic, for lack of a better term, to the meteor fragments that are around here. I think the ants that bit me were infected. That's the only way they could have hurt me-not even bullets or wood chippers can break my skin." 

"You stay here. Take a late lunch break or something. I'm going to find Oscar and get him to clear the area of ants. I'll supervise. I'll tell him you're allergic to ant bites, you saw the ants and were trying to find him when I found you and told you to get inside. I'll let you know when everything is clear." 

Clark leaned over and initiated his first kiss. "I'm really looking forward to showing you the garden. Maybe we can have a picnic dinner out there tonight?" 

Lex smiled. "I'll have it cleared in no time." He strode out the door, not looking back. 

__

Clark was now just finishing the last of the landscaping around the fountain. Lex and Oscar had cleared the area quickly and Clark was still able to finish the garden that evening. 

He looked up at the sun, hanging low in the sky. If he hurried, he and Lex could have their picnic dinner and watch the sunset. He hurried to the gardening shed to put away his tools before heading to the house. 

__

"This is beautiful, Clark. Amazing." Lex was feeling the most content he had ever felt, comfortable in the arms of his love. 

They had just finished the simple meal of sandwiches and salads and were now sitting on the bench in front of the running fountain, watching the sunset. Clark's arms were wrapped around Lex's midsection, and the older man could feel Clark's breath on his neck. He was having some trouble focusing, he kept drifting off in a haze of pleasant feelings. He wasn't used to feeling this relaxed in anyone's presence. He had never had all of his shields down at once. He and Clark still had a lot to talk about-their future, both his and Clark's pasts, Clark's abilities, Lex's ambitions, and Clark's dreams, just to name a few. But he knew now that they would have time. He was in no hurry to find out everything-he could get used to this feeling. 

Lex chuckled, causing Clark to grin. "What's so funny?" 

"Who would have thought a simple job would have led to this? I hope you don't mind, but I have to say I'm very happy about the lack of jobs in small-town America." 

Clark laughed, tightening his hold on Lex. "At this point, so am I." 

**==END==**


End file.
